Telegraphic-tape-perforating apparatus.



J. P'. ODONOHUE.

TBLEGRAPHIC -TAPE PERPORATING APPARATUS. l APPLICATION FILED 1120.4, 1911. P t t d J 1d 913 ,"9 Q aene 3111.1,1

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J. P. ODONOHUE.

TELEGRAPHIG TAPE PERFORMING APPARATUS.

APPLIUATION FILEDl DEO. 4, 1911,

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Patented Jan. A14, 1913.

J. P. ODONOHUB.

TEL-GRAPHIC TAPE PERFORMING APPARATUS,

APPLICATION FILED DEG. f4, 1911.

Patented Jan. 1.4, 1913.

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TELEGRAPHIC-TAPE-PERFORATING APPARATUS.

specification of Letters Patent* Patented Jan. 14,1913.

Application filed December 4, 1911. Serial No. 663,862.

To all fathom it lm ag/ concern.'

Be it known that I, JAMES PATRICK ODoNoHUE, a citizen of the United States, and resident of East Orange, county of Essex, and State of New Jersey, have invented cert-ain new and useful Improvements in Telegraphic-Tape-Perforating Apparatus, of which the following is a specificat-ion.

One of the main objects of this invention is to provide a tape feeding apparatus by means of which the paper tape to be perforated at the receiving end of the line will be so fed to the punches that it will be held stationary while the punches are in engagement therewith but will be moved very rapidly when the punches are disengaged therefrom. During the interval in which the punches are withdrawn from the tape said tape will be fed a distance equa-l to the distance' between two adjoining feedholes, that is to say, a space equal to one time unit of the tape.

Another object of the invention is to provide a feed-hole punch to form a centerline of feed perforations; and also to provide in connection therewith, means for feeding said tape to the electrically actuated punches which form the signal perforations, the feed perforations and the signal perforations being properly spaced and arranged with respect to each other to constitute a transmitting tape.

Another object of the invention is to provide a let-off means to control the feeding of the tape to the punches for forming the signal perforations, said means permitting an extremely rapid step-by-step movement, the steps correspondingr to the spaces between the feedperforatons. This let-off mechanism holds the strip during the interval in which the signal perforation punches are driven through the paper and withdrawn.

Another object of the invention is to pro:

' vide a take-up mechanism by means of which the slack in the perforated tape will be taken up instantly when the punches for the signal perforations. are withdrawn from it.

Other important objects and advantages of the invent-ion will appear hereinafter.

drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of he apparatus for producing a perforated tape; Fig. 2 a plan view thereof; Fig. 3 aside elevation of the means for In the giving the tape a step-by-step or intermittent movement; F ig. 4 a plan view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 a front view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 6 a detail sectional view of the electrical punches for forming the signal perforationsin the tape ;L Fig. 7 a similar view of the mechanically operated punch for forming the center line of feed perforations; Fig. 8 avertical sectional view of the means for taking up the slack in the tape after the operation of the signal perforation punches; Fig. 9 a transverse vertical sectional View of the apparatus shown in Fig. 8; Fig. 10 a detail side elevation of the means for drawing the tape from the mechanically operated feed-hole punchand delivering it to the intermittent feeding device; and Fig. l1 a horizontalesectional view on the 'line XI-XI of Fig. l0.

The paper tape l is fed by the positivelyv operated feed rolls 2, to a continuously operating feed hole punch 3. This feed 'hole punch is mechanically operated and may be driven in any suitable manner. vided with a single punch bar 4, and is designed to punch a single central line of feed perfor-ations 5. The speed of this punch` and the speed of the feed means is preferably such that the feed hole perforation@ will be formed one-tenth'of an inch apart2 along the longitudinal center line of the tape. This is the standard for transmitting tapes, particularly forl transmitting tapes using the Wheatstone system. AThe tape is drawn from the center line or feed punch 3 by means of a feed device- 6. This tape feed device is provided with a pair of feed rollers which.frictionally and yieldably engage the tape so that said rollers may slip on the tape when it is engaged by the feed hole punch bar, and during the interval in which the said punch is being forced through and withdrawn from the tape. This feed device consists of a supporting frame 7 which may be of any suitable form and in which is mounted a drive shaft. 8 carrying a driving pulley 9 over which a drive belt 10 is passed,

said belt being driven from a motorshaft or from any other suitable source of power. This shaft carries a beveled gear l0a which meshes with a similar gear 11 on a vertical shaft .12, said shaft carrying a gear 13.

Meshing with the-gear 13 is a similar gear 14 mounted upon a vertical shaft lo. rlhls shaft'is journaled in a horizontally vibrating '25 the rolls 19 and 2O is considerably higher 65 of the /escapement and permit the esintente arm 16 which is pivoted atI one endmat lf3', capement to advance one' tooth at each a spring 18 being connected to the other en'd revolution of the said dlslr.A flhe belt 32 is of said arm and the frame, said spring exertarranged to slip on pulley 31 during the' ing a suitable pressure to maintain the gears period when the escapement wheel is held 13 and 14 vieldingly in' mesh with each against movement. rlhe speed of the star 70 Wheel is such that the tape will be fed the other.

The upper end of the shaft 15 projects distance between two of the feed holes during the -interval when the signal punches .above the main frame and carries afee A roller 19 which yieldingly bears' agalnst a are disengaged*fromm the tape so that the said tape will be advanced from the 75 ,n companion feed roller 20., carried bythe l shaft 12, this latter roller beine; provided slgnal punch device the proper y dis- A with danges between which the tape lies. tance the y instant the signal punch The tape l passes from the feed-hole punch bars are dlsengaged therefrom. Toaccurately 'guide the tape from the signal to the feed rolls 19 and 20 and is by said L rolls rdrawn from said punch. The feed punch device a star Wheel 38 1s mounted ]ust 30 beyond the signal punch, said wheel servrolls 19 and 20 are continuously operated but because of its yieldable mounting the ing; to accurately guide the tape to the roll 19 will slip on the tape during the interpunches. The distance between the feed val when -the said tape is held stationary wheel 23 and the idle star wheel 38 is such zo by the feed-hole punch bar, all danger of that when the tape is at rest a feed hole 86 tearing or disrupting the paper being therewill be i vertically 1n line. between the .two by avoided. Any means may be provided signal punches and the signal perforations for adjusting the tension of the spring 18, will be properly arranged with respect to if that be found necessary. The speed of saidV feed perforations. The speed ofthe tape through the signal punch device is pref- 90. erably identical with the speed of the transmitting tape at the distant end of the line, so that the time unit between the signal perforation will be precisely the same in the transmitting and the receiving tapes. The 96 signal punch device 52 may be of any suitable construction. As shown in Fig. 6 the punch bars 53 areicarried by armatures 54 which are actuated through magnets 55. These magnets are energized by the irn-A 10u pulses of current sent over the line from than the speed of the feed rolls 2. This is necessarily so for the reason that they must take up the slaclt between the punch bar and the said feed rolls 2 the instant the so punch is withdrawn from the tape. The period during which the feed rolls 19 and 20 are moving the tape is reduced by the time interval during; which the punch bar 4 engages the paper tape, and this loss must bemade up by increasing the speed of said rolls over the speed of the feed rolls 2.

From the frictional feed rolls.19 and 2O the transmitting station.

the tape passes to a positively operating; iu- To withdraw the operating tape from the termittent feed or let-off device 21 by means signal punch device I provide a take-up ofjwhich lthe' tape is fed to the signal mechanism 39 which consists of yieldably 105 Vpinches. Thislet-off or intermittent feed mounted feed rolls driven at a'very high device consists of a vertical shaft 22 carryspeed so that the amount of tape fed by ing; a star wheel 23 at its upper end arthe intermittent let-,ofil star Wheel will be ranged to engage the feed holes in the tape. immediately taken up and advanced through Said shaft carries a toothed escapement the signal perfo/,rating device the instant the 110 wheel 24 which is adapted to be engaged by signal punch bars aieWithdraWn from the an escapement 25 so that said wheel will be tape. This take-up device consists of a roll permitted to advance one tooth at a time, 40 mounted on a shaft 44a. Said shaft' carry-A thereby permitting the star wheel to feed ing a pair of gears 42. Meshing with these the tape intermittently the distance between gears are two similar gears 43 fmounted 11E two adjoining feed idoles. The escapement upon a vertically yieldable shaft 44. This is formed with an arui"26 adapted to be enshaft carries a feed roll 45 and is journal'ed raged by a pin 27 in a rotatable disk .28, said in vertically moved boxes 46, adjusting escapement in its ntrmal position holding; screws 47 and springs 48 being employed the escanementwvheel against rotation. Un to yieldablyforce the feed roll carried by 12 the shaft of the star feed wheel is secured said shaft against its companion feed roll. a pulley 31 driven by a belt 32 from a ver- 'lhis shaft 44 isdriven through a pulley 49 tical shaft 33. This shaft 33 is driven by a by a belt 50 from the motor or any other pair of'beveled'g'ears 35 suitably operated source of power.` The belt is preferably from the motor, and on the upper end of designed to slip on its driving pulley, or on 12 said shaft 33 is a beveled gear 36 meshing; the driven pulley, whenever the tape bewith a similar gear on the shaft 37 of the disk 28. It is manifest that as the said tween the take-up rolls and the signal I punches is held stationary by the punches disk rotates its pin 27 will engage the arm duringr the punch operation. The moment the signal punches are withdrawn from. the 1:

tape, however, the take-up rolls operating at a high speed, take up the amount of tape fed by the intermittent let-o' star wheel so that the tape might be said to be snapped ui the moment it is released by the punches.

To release the tape from the take-up rolls a vibrating leverl 51 is provided, said lever engaging under the shaft 44 and serving to raise the same and therebyseparate the take-up rolls. These take-up rolls are preferably operated to makeA at least three 'revolutions to one revolution of the feed rolls 19v and 20 so that whatever slack mayaccumu- -late between the star let-off wheel and the punches will be instantly taken up when the tape is released from the signal punches. As the signal punches will operate upon a constant time unit, it is preferred to synchronize the operation of the'let-off star wheel with said punches and by that means synchronize the movement of the tape at the receiving end with the movement of the transmitting tape at the distant end.

It is manifest that with an apparatus such as described herein, a tape will be produced at the receiving end of a line identical in all respects with the transmitting tape and which by reason of the center line of feed perforations, may be used again as a transmitting tape.

I preferably employ belts formed vof coil springs so that said springsvmay readily yield longitudinally and thereby prevent sudden shocks and strain on the paper tape by reason of the sudden'starting and stopping of the paper.' The spring belts will readily slip' over their engaged pulleys when a slight retarding pressure is exerted on vthe feed rolls. This also assists materially in avoiding disrupting the paper tape. It must be kept in mind, however, that the friction between the feed rolls and the paper tape is sutiieient under all normal conditions for rapidly feeding the paper through the punching mechanism without slip.

I preferably operate the strip feed rolls 2 which take the tape from the feed-hole punching` device, at such a speed, at the beginning of operations, as to accumulate a slight slack in the tape between the constantly operating'feed rolls 19 and 20 and the intermittent star feed wheel 23, so that there 'will alwaysbe sufficient free tape for the star wheel to take up at' each of its movements, the star wheel being thereby relieved of the strain of drawing the paper from between the feed rollsl 19 and 20.

Having thus fully described my invention,-

what I c im as -new and desire to secureby Letters Patent, 1s:

1. A telegraphic tape punching apparatus adaptel to punch signal perforations on opposite sides of a center line of feed holes 4to form signal perforations on opposite sides'rof a center line of feed holes, a stepby-step feeding means adapted to engage the center line of feed vholes and to thereby feed the tape to the signal perforation forming punches, a rotatable yieldable take-up device afa-ranged to draw the paper tape from the signal perforation forming punches, said yieldable take-up device operating constantly and at a greater speed than the stepby-step feeding means, whereby the slack in the tape between the signal perforation forming punches and the step-by-step feed device will be taken up when the tape is free of the signal punches.

2. A telegraphic tape punching apparatus adapted to punch signal pcrforations on opposite sides of a center line of feed holes in said tape and comprising a pair of punches, means for operating said punches to ferm signal perforations ou opposite sides of a center line of feed holes, a step-by-step feeding means adapted to engage the center line Of feed holes in the tap to feed the vtape t0 the signal perforation forming punches, means to permit said step-by-step feeding means to advance the tape one step after each operation of either signal punch, and a constantly operating yieldable take-up device,operating at a greater speed .than the feed device and drawing t-he tape from the signal punches and taking `up any slack between said punches and the feed device.

3. A telegraphic tape punching apparatus adapted to punch signal perforationsin said tape and comprising a pair of punches,

mea-ns for operating said punches to form signal pcrforations, a feeding means adapted to feed said tape to said punches while the punches are engaged therein, whereby said ,tape will be slack bctween said feeziing means and said punches yieldable take-up device arranged to draw the paper from the signal perforation forming punches, said yieldable take-up device JAMES PATRICK oDoNoHUE. Witnesses:

WM. R. DAVIS, F. R. MIILER.

Seann of this patent be obtain-J for ve cents eadrfby aeressiiig1 the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

-duriiig the punching operation, a rotatable 

